Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Shade stepped up to me, looking almost proud. Something sparked between us, something wild and fun and free. Something close to the feeling I got from riding on the back of a motorcycle, a mixture of thrill and excitement and sheer joy as the wind tore through my hair and sang in my ear.
“That was the sexiest fuckin’ thing I’ve ever seen,” Shade said. He caught the back of my head in his big hand, pulling me in hard for a kiss. His other arm wrapped around my body, holding me tight as his tongue ravaged my mouth like it belonged to him. God help me, in that moment it did. My body went molten, the thrill turning to something else—something more intense—as his tongue thrust deep.
I wanted to stay here, I realized. Let him drag me back into his clubhouse to his ratty old bed, rip off my clothes and fuck me until I forgot reality. The past few months had been tough, and while I’d had fun with Rebel, I’d never really been able to count on him. I had a feeling that if I just did what Shade wanted—followed him like a good biker babe—he’d take care of everything and I wouldn’t have to think for a while or make any tough decisions.
God, but I wanted that.
Unfortunately, the only thing my niece Callie knew how to cook was chocolate. There were three little girls waiting for me, along with a sister who was probably in agony and almost certainly at risk of losing her job for missing yet another day of work. Pulling away from that kiss was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I managed somehow. Shade’s eyes were dark and hungry. Full of fire. For once that didn’t scare me.
“I need to go home,” I whispered. “My sister is sick and I’ve got to watch the kids. Will you give me a ride?”
Shade met my gaze steadily.
“This isn’t over,” he said, and he wasn’t talking about the situation with Rebel.
“My oldest niece is only five, and she already microwaved them a candy bar for breakfast.”
Shade cocked his head at me. “No shit?”
“No shit,” I replied solemnly.
“Then I guess I’d better give you a ride,” he said slowly. He glanced toward Rebel and his face hardened. “Get in your truck and go away.”
Rebel looked to the truck, almost comical in his confusion. “But the tires are all flat.”
“So drive on the rims,” Shade told him. “Make yourself disappear or I’ll do it for you.”
Rebel nodded quickly. I watched while he staggered to his feet, clutching his side as he lurched toward the Chevy. Then Shade caught my hand, tugging me toward the line of bikes. I turned toward him and he froze, reaching up to touch the side of my face.
“You’ve got a bruise starting here. Rebel hit you,” he said, his voice like ice. I shook my head.
“Technically, he threw me into the truck.”
Shade’s face went hard. “I’m gonna kill him.”
“No,” I said, catching his arm. “You’re gonna give me a ride home. I don’t care about that fucker, but I do care about my nieces. If you want to help me, take me home.”
Shade turned to Dopey, who stood watching Rebel. “Follow him.”
Dopey nodded sharply and a chill ran down my spine, because as much as I hated Rebel, I had a bad feeling about this—if Shade wanted to throw him into a truck, I was totally down with that. The whole disappearing thing, though… That sounded like some seriously bad karma.
“Shade—”
“Rebel’s not your problem anymore,” he said, glancing down at me. “He touched what was mine on my property. That’s a problem between him and me.”
I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it again because he’d gone back to scaring me, way beyond Batman level. Rebel was a piece of shit, but Shade was a whole different level of badass. I’d gotten so caught up in his kiss that I’d forgotten how dangerous he was.
Big mistake.
I needed to get home and get away from him. Maybe find a new job where I wouldn’t have to see him again. I didn’t care how sexy he was—I’d had enough dangerous men to last me a lifetime.
Chapter Seven
The ride home was anti-climactic.
Last night it’d felt like Shade was kidnapping me away to another world. In the daylight, I recognized the highway curving around rolling hills and clumps of forest. The same mountains that I saw above Hannah’s trailer stood over us, watching.
Just like our first trip together, I held Shade tightly around the waist, taking in his special scent and feeling the play of his stomach muscles under my hands. Everything about him felt sexy and right, scarily enough. I refused to relax into him, though, because I couldn’t afford that. When I’d met Rebel, I’d decided it was safe to have a boyfriend so long as I didn’t trust him with my heart.